Beneath The Ice
by SantiagoD95
Summary: Based on Kurinoone's 'The Darkness Within'. What if the Dark Prince had someone by his side who had a similar upbringing. What if this upbringing was all a lie? Dark Harry / Daphne G.
1. Murder

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters, they belong to J.K. Rowling. This fic is based on 'The Darkness Within' by Kurinoone, Harry's background story as well as Damien belong to her.

**A/N**: Kurinoone helped me a lot with the ideas and writing for this fic, I would like to thank her immensely. Also, if you haven't read her story this will probably make no sense as it is based on it. Props and thanks to my amazing beta and cousin dbest89.

* * *

_I'm killing them all_

_I put my soul on the line_

_I purify sins_

_That I committed in life_

_I'll follow them all_

_And I'll be bringing them down_

_Wherever they go_

_I'm right behind_

_There's nowhere to go_

_Your head on the line_

_There is no rope_

_You're running out of time_

_So where will you go?_

_When I will murder your soul_

**_Murder - Within Temptation_**

* * *

Sturgis Podmore stood tall, pacing in his room. He had tried sleeping, but he couldn't shake this feeling... This feeling that something was off.

Call it instinct if you want, but Sturgis knew something was wrong. It had been a very average day for him, doing paperwork in the Auror's department of the Ministry, all the while complaining to Kingsley Shacklebolt about the times where there wasn't any action. The ex-flirt _hated_ paperwork almost as much as he hated You-Know-Who.

Even though the self-proclaimed Dark Lord and his Death Eaters had been acting a lot as of late, the Minister hadn't order any missions. Sturgis held no respect for Cornelius Fudge, knowing the kind of man he was. That was the reason he had joined Dumbledore's 'Order Of The Phoenix' so many years ago, corruption inside the Ministry... Well that and You-Know-Who.

He had gotten home earlier when the feeling had started, his _gut_ was trying to tell him something... Only Sturgis didn't know what.

As he made his way over to the window, he found himself amazed by the beauty of the green forest next to his home. Even in the pouring rain he could vaguely hear birds singing. The sun was going down behind the forest, as it left a very dark shade of orange sky.

Sturgis sighed as he sat on his bed.

He knew they were nowhere near the end of this war. Neville, even with all of Dumbledore's private lessons was not ready to face You-Know-Who, and the auror doubted he would ever be. After all, the only wizard who had ever fought and survived _him_ was Albus Dumbledore.

He had to admit though, that the old Albus was a damn good leader, not only placing his faith in the prophesied child but also taking action against the Death Eaters when the Ministry's aurors where not quick enough to act.

Sturgis stood up as he heard the sudden, unmistakable noise of a door closing. The problem was, being a single man... he lived alone. The panic-stricken auror took two deep breaths rapidly in a futile effort to calm his raising heart. He did a simple spell to check the protection wards_—_they hadn't been activated.

The auror cursed as he noticed he had left his coat with his emergency portkey on the entrance of the manor.

This was a very bad situation, he was alone in his house with no way out against Merlin knows how many Death Eaters.

He began to walk towards the door nervously, taking out his curved wand in the process.

As he took the first step into his living room the lights suddenly went out without warning.

"Lumos" whispered the man as he continue walking in the same direction. Even with the sun still setting, all the windows and curtains were closed. A fact Sturgis had failed to noticed before. He started panicking when he realized it was quiet, too quiet.

His plan was simple, he would run as fast as he could toward the entrance, where hopefully the You-Know-Who's followers hadn't noticed the emergency portkey.

The auror winced as he felt a devastating kick land on his right side. Sturgis was sent flying by the sheer force of it and crashed into his desk, effectively destroying it completely.

He coughed thrice before trying to pull himself up from the remains of the furniture. _'That definitely cracked a rib'_ thought the auror, as he turn to face his attackers.

He wasn't surprised when he saw the black Death Eater robes on the figure, but there was something different. Regular Death Eaters had white skeleton-like masks and liked to attack in groups, while his opponent possessed a _silver_ skeleton-like mask covering the top of his face and seem to be alone.

"Is this all the mighty aurors have to offer? Frankly, I find myself disappointed."

The blonde haired auror couldn't contain his gasp as he realized his attacker couldn't be more than a mere boy, a teenager if he had to guess by his voice.

"Who the hell are you?!" shouted Sturgis when he managed to get on his feet again, leaning against the wall behind him while holding his recently-damaged ribs

The boy merely smirked at him, ignoring the question.

Sturgis knew that even if his attacker was only a kid he had to bring him into custody. After all, they needed all the information they could get on You-Know-Who, and judging by the way this kid dressed and spoke, he was one of _his_ followers.

The auror made his mind in a second as he send a powerful stunner towards the boy.

"Stupefy!" yelled Sturgis while taking a step forward.

The attacker grinned as he barely moved his head towards the right, the red light of the stunner missing him by inches. The sound of glass shattering echoed through the manor as the spell hit a window.

"My turn" he spoke.

Almost at the same time the fully grown auror found himself being hurled across the room by an invisible force. His vision became blurry as the back of his head smashed into the wall with a resounding 'Thud!'

_'He is toying with me!'_ Thought Podmore when his vision returned. He had not seen the boy with a wand, that could only mean one thing. _'Is he doing this wandlessly?!'_

He raised his arm to stun his opponent when he noticed his wand was missing.

"Looking for this?" Asked the teenager smugly, as he played with the auror's wand on his hand.

Sturgis gasped when he heard the loud 'crack' of his wand snapping in half.

Nothing happened for a moment as the injured man stared unblinkingly at the remains, his pain all but forgotten at the sight of his broken wand.

"Are you here to kill me?" whispered the auror bravely, trying and failing to see the eyes of his opponent.

"No" responded the boy. "That's what _she's_ here for." he explained with a hint of amusement in his voice.

That was when the auror saw another figure stepping out of the shadows.

Cold blue eyes glared back at him, they seemed to see into his very essence... His soul.

In that moment Sturgis understood. After a minute of looking at the new figure he had finally recognized her. He realized why she was there.

"Avada Kedavra!"


	2. Two Sides To Every Story

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters, they belong to J.K. Rowling. This fic is based on 'The Darkness Within' by Kurinoone, Harry's background story as well as Damien belong to her.

**A/N**: Again, if you haven't read 'The Darkness Within' by Kurinoone this will probably make no sense. The second chapter was really hard to make, I kept getting tons of different ideas all day until I finally decided for one. As always, thanks to the awesome Kurinoone for her support and insight as well as to my cousin and beta dbest89 for putting up with all my drama.

* * *

_It's true, we're all a little insane_  
_But it's so clear_  
_Now that I'm unchained_

_Fear is only in our minds_  
_Taking over all the time_  
_Fear is only in our minds_  
_but it's taking over all the time_

_You poor sweet innocent thing_  
_Dry your eyes and testify_  
_You know you live to break me_  
_Don't deny sweet sacrifice_

**_Sweet Sacrifice - Evanescence_**

* * *

Lily was getting more and more tired every passing second. _'Why would Dumbledore call for an emergency meeting this early?'_ She thought, while she watched the numbers '4:13 am' hovering over her husband's wand. James sat in the chair next to hers, his unruly hair looked even _messier_ than usual as a result of being forced out of bed early, a fact that was not lost on anyone seeing as he had his navy-blue Puddlemere United pyjamas on.

_'Looks like I'm not the only one'_ Lily thought chuckling as Tonks snores reached her from across the table. The newbie auror had fallen asleep over Moody's left shoulder, who knew better than to wake her up before Dumbledore got there.

It was no secret to anyone that the one-eyed auror considered Nymphadora his favorite student and as such she was able to to have certain privileges, like sleeping before an Order meeting without being yelled about 'constant vigilance'. Nymphadora had been one of the only people _ever_ to pass all of Moody's extensive auror tests. To this day no one knew how she had managed to pass the stealth part of the examination, being one of the _clumsiest_ persons in the world.

"They have a really funny Parent-Daughter relationship." whispered Lily to James who was trying to contain his laughter at the sight of the big bad auror Moody, feared by Dark Wizards everywhere, being used as a pillow. Remus let out a soft laugh when he entered the room, Moody only gave him one of his _'say anything and I'll kill you'_ looks.

Lily sighed, she hoped Dumbledore arrived soon. She had a very stressful day ahead of her. Last night, Damien had joined forces with Fred and George to charm all the chairs in the Burrow. Every time someone sat on them a loud fart noise would be heard across the entire house, the worst part was that they would be glued to the chair by a sticky charm.

Needless to say, his son as well as Molly's twins were now grounded with no Quidditch or flying whatsoever, at least until the new school year began at Hogwarts.

Lily had taken all the brooms in the manor, including the old Nimbus 1400 James kept as a family heirloom, and had given them all to Molly who was currently hiding them Merlin knows where. James had pretended to cry next to Damien, trying to calm his wife down, explaining that it wasn't fair to punish him for a prank _Damien_ had pulled.

Remembering the expressions her husband made while acting like a kid got a smile out of the potion's mistress.

In moments like that Lily asked herself how Harry would have been like, had he not been killed by that _monster_. She imagined her son, all grown up, playing Quidditch with James, teaching magic to Damien and bickering with her about treating him like kid.

_'He would have been sixteen by now'_ thought Lily as she felt a tear roll down her face.

She wiped it off before anyone could notice. She thought about her lost baby all the time, something she didn't want anyone to know, not even James, who would continue to blame himself as it had been Peter, his friend, who had caused the death of their son.

It wouldn't do any good to think about the past.

Green flames erupted from the fireplace in that moment, as Albus Dumbledore and auror Kingsley Shacklebolt appeared in front of the Order.

_'Only ones missing now are Sturgis and Sev'_ noticed Lily.

The straw-colored haired auror was known in the Order for his tardiness, always being the last one to show up.

Lily sighed, rubbing her eyes in order to stay awake.

"Welcome, I'm afraid auror Sturgis won't be able to join us" stated Albus while taking a sit in the only custom chair at the edge of the table.

He then motioned for Kingsley to take a sit next to him.

That was when Lily finally saw Kingsley's face. The renowned auror held an unbelievable anger in his strong features. The other Order members grew worried as they noticed the always calm and collected Kingsley barely containing his fury.

"Earlier today Sturgis Podmore was found murdered on his house near Scotland."

The moment Dumbledore finished that sentence the room erupted in shouting, wanting to know the identity of the killer.

"Silence!" Shouted Moody, and at once everyone obeyed.

"How is this possible Albus? Podmore's house had every manner of protecting possible minus the Fidelius charm! How is it someone managed to get inside without alerting us?" Asked Mcgonagall.

"I can't be sure Minerva. However, there is more...I believe...that we are dealing with the same person who tortured and murdered Frank and Alice."

Every order member looked devastated, Frank and Alice Longbottom had been with the order since its beginnings and they had earned a place in the hearts of its members, the fact that they had never found the bodies only served to anger the Order members more.

"Then what are we waiting for? Lets go after the son of a bitch!" Shouted Moody as he smashed his fist on the table, losing control of his emotions.

"Slow down Moody, we don't even know who did this" responded Sirius.

"I'm curious professor, what makes you think it was the same person?"

Everyone turned to Dumbledore at Bill Weasley's question, wondering the same thing.

"It is believed that the Longbottoms were murdered by the killing curse after being tortured. The interesting part however was that their house was set on fire afterwards. Even though there was no sign of the Cruciatus curse in Sturgis body, his home was also set on flames after he was killed" explained Dumbledore with a sad look.

"This, plus the similarities of the nights lead me to believe we're dealing with the same murderer." Finished Albus.

Nobody spoke for the next few minutes. The determination to avenge her fellow Order members could be seen in everyone. Molly had tears running down her face, she and Lily had been the closest to Alice, both had entered a severe state of depression for a while when the news of her death got out. Lily had been the worst, having already lost her firstborn to the war, she had barely found the strength to keep it together for James and Damien.

"Our first priority is to find out the identity of this killer and his allegiances. After that, we can come up with a way to catch him." said Dumbledore

"A-Albus, what if this killer is the same one Voldemort uses to murder the traitors in his ranks?" asked Mcgonagall.

The other Order members paled at that, on the last Order meeting they had been discussing the possibility of You-Know-Who sending an assassin to end the life of the Death Eaters who dared defy him. The bodies of the ex-Death Eaters had signs of being exposed to the Crusiatus curse for hours before actually being killed.

"You might be onto something professor" blurted Bill. "Think about it, Sturgis was no pushover. It would have taken someone extremely talented to get the best of him" continued Bill.

"We don't know anything for sure. However I believe it would be better to capture this person ourselves. I fear with the way Cornelius is guiding the Ministry, it won't be long before Tom's followers manage to infiltrate it."

James spoke, after a minute of silence.

"So, what's the plan?"

* * *

A figure run through the forest, its image blurred by the incredible speed at which it moved.

_'Can I make it?'_ thought Daphne.

_'This is impossible!'_ Even if her attacker somehow lost her trail she wouldn't be able to get away from here. She didn't recognize her surroundings, there were only trees and... more trees.

Daphne cursed, this had gone long enough. She was out of breath, her legs felt like they were gonna give up any second now.

She put her back against a big old tree, as she took a minute to catch her breath.

She wiped the thin line of sweat that was running down her face, and tried taking deep breaths to calm herself down. Her heart beat frantically against her chest, this wasn't going well.

Daphne knew it was over if she didn't find her way back to Malfoy manor.

She felt her blood run cold when she realized her body wasn't responding to her. She had been paralyzed!

"You really suck at identifying illusions" whispered a voice in her ear.

She turned her head just in time to see the huge old tree behind her morph into the form of her smirking boyfriend.

Daphne brought a smile to her lips. Even if she had lost this time she was sure Harry had enjoyed the chase.

"Yeah...I'm much better at the _physical_ stuff" hinted Daphne, as she brought her body closer to his. "Wouldn't you agree?"

Harry laughed softly, as he gazed into Daphne's eyes.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, while moving a strand of blonde hair away from her face.

Daphne knew Harry wasn't talking about the training they had just done.

"Honestly... I'm ecstatic. I know it was my first kill and everything, but I can't bring myself to feel anything but anger and repugnance at the memory of his face" She answered. Her face becoming serious for a moment.

"Is it weird, that I'm not crying and having nightmares about it?" Daphne questioned.

"Yes" laughed Harry. "But then again, you've never been one for _normal_" he teased after a few seconds, sitting in the forest's floor. His back against a tree.

"The old coot will probably know by now" sighed Daphne. "Do you think he'll make the connection?" She asked worriedly.

Harry snorted.

"Father always says to never underestimate your enemy. Bella on the other hand, is convinced the old man is so senile he wouldn't recognize the difference between Merlin and a first year Gryffindor."

At the mention of Gryffindors Daphne thought about Harry's biological brother, Damien. She didn't know much about the kid, only that he would be starting his third year and that he was a chaser in the Gryffindor's Quidditch team. Daphne was curious about how different the two 'brothers' would be, having grown up in totally different environments. She made a mental note to gather information about Damien Potter this year.

She hadn't told Harry about the existence of his brother, knowing it would only upset him to be reminded that _they_ were still alive and breathing even after everything they had done to him. Daphne was one of the few people Harry had told about his past.

She decided to change the subject.

"Nervous about tonight?" questioned Daphne, as she sat in front of him. Her legs were still sore from all the running she had done.

"Hardly." Harry answered. "After putting up with you everyday, being _officially_ presented to the world as the Dark Prince and father's son is a piece of cake." He laughed as he pulled her into his lap.

She pouted cutely, as if upset by his teasing.

Harry brought their lips closer until they were almost touching. "Don't pout, it makes me want to kiss you."

"Then maybe I should pout more often." Daphne suggested, pulling her boyfriend into a deep kiss.

Daphne moaned as the kiss consumed her. Harry had his arms wrapped in her torso while her hands were gripping the back of his head.

She pulled away in order to breath, still giving him small kisses.

"We should probably get back soon, before Lucius becomes worried."

"I find it very disturbing that you mention your adoptive father while making out with your boyfriend." Harry teased while he dodge a punch aimed at him arm.

"Jerk." Daphne muttered. "But seriously, we should probably get going."

"Relax, he knows you're with me, and besides, we still have some time." argued Harry.

"Baby" continued Daphne. "I love you, but I don't want Lucius to worry."

"Fine" sighed Harry, helping Daphne stand up.

He did a quick spell to clean their clothes before turning to his girlfriend. "Want me to apparate you back?" questioned Harry.

"No, go ahead. I know how get back" she answered.

Harry made his way over to her, placing one last kiss on her forehead before apparating to Riddle manor.

Daphne stood alone as the loud 'pop' of Harry disappearing echoed through the woods. She raised her eyes to the skies, as if searching for something.

She stayed there, just watching.

A wetness in her eyes was enough to make her pause, as she brought her hands up to clean the tears now rolling down her face.

_Mom, Dad. It has started_


	3. One Of Us?

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters, they belong to J.K. Rowling. This fic is based on 'The Darkness Within' by Kurinoone, Harry's background story as well as Damien belong to her.

**A/N**: Sorry for the wait, I celebrated my 18th birthday last Friday and didn't have a lot of time to write. I went with some ideas that I had carefully plan in this one. Took me some time to put it in words even though I imagined every small detail. BTW, yes I know Kurinoone's fight scenes are way, way better than mine, but I'm still studying how to do them so please bear with me. Well, enjoy and don't forget to review, it always helps.

* * *

_Trust me_  
_There's no need to fear_  
_Everyone's here_  
_Waiting for you to finally be one of us_

_Come down..._  
_You may be full of fear_  
_But you'll be safe here_  
_When you finally trust me_  
_Finally believe in me_

**_Let You Down - Three Days Grace_**

* * *

Daphne had only been to Knockturn alley once before in her life. She ignored her surroundings with a bored expression on her face, from the pouring rain to the creepy wizards that passed her. She was wearing her black robes with her hood up, there was no reason for people to know who she was.

The atmosphere itself seemed to shift when she had taken the turn for Knockturn Alley, it was somehow colder, the air had gotten heavier, you could feel the bitterness and thirst for power people sought in here, she was not surprised. That's not to say she wasn't totally unaffected by it, but after being in the Dark Lord's presence more the once, she thought this was not such a big deal.

She passed Borgin and Burkes and made her way farther down the streets. Harry had been very clear in explaining to her what she needed to do to get to her destination. Daphne didn't know exactly _how_ he had gotten the information in the first place, but she didn't think it matter that much at this point.

_'Finally!'_ Daphne thought, she did a left turn, turning her head to the side, making sure no one had followed her. She came upon a giant wall made of rocks,_ a dead end._

Daphne moved closer to the wall, this was the hardest part, finding the damn thing.

She started touching all the rocks in search for one that was considerably _softer_ that the others. After a few minutes of trying she finally found it, somewhere in the lower right corner of the ancient wall. Daphne closed her eyes, concentrating, before sending a powerful burst of magic through the selected rock. At first sight there was no indication that it had worked, but after carefully examining the rock Daphne noticed that it was _very slowly_ transforming until it became what appeared to be, the head of a Gargoyle's statue.

_'Here comes the tricky part'_

She turned her head again to she if anyone was watching. When it was clear that there wasn't anyone in the area, except for her, Daphne reached for her right pocket in the outfit beneath her robes, pulling out a a very old looking knife.

No one could deny the small weapon was beautiful, it had been a gift, past down for generations in her family, the knife had an elegant design of lightning at the handle. It had been hand-made in the early fourteen-hundreds, and had been an heirloom given to the firstborn in the Greengrass family since then. It was the one of the only things she kept from her heritage.

She sighed, bringing the knife closer to her left hand. With a quick move, Daphne did a small cut across her palm, the bored expression never leaving her face. She stayed there, just looking at the dripping red liquid. It was fascinating how blood could be so simple, yet so complex and significant that she would go to_ war_ over it.

After a few seconds, she placed her now bleeding hand in the mouth of the Gargoyle. The effect was instantaneous, the statue appeared to be alive for a moment as it's eyes flashed bright red, before loudly closing it's jaw altogether.

She knew what was going to happen before it did, the wall started to shift, recognizing her blood as_ pure._ The rocks seemed to disappear, dissolving against each other. Daphne had never seen anything quite like it, behind the now gone wall, was an old pub, the kind of pub were you would find 'wanted' people.

It had candles floating near the wooden ceiling. There were about twenty round tables, some of them were occupied, but most of them were empty. At the other side of the room was the bar, there was only one chair next to it. There was only one word the could be used to describe it.

_Weird_

A middle aged man stood behind the counter, Daphne quickly noticed the dark brown hair, and a mustache stained with what she hoped was butterbeer.

No one payed any attention to her as she walked to the bar, her hood still up.

She placed her arms in the counter before addressing the bartender. "I'm looking for a man by the name of Augustus"

The man turned to look at her, his mustache looked even more dirty up close. "Boss doesn't speak with just anyone" He said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Well, tell him I've got a...business proposal...that he would be most interested in" Daphne concluded, taking her hood down, leaving her long blonde hair free.

She glared at the bartender before walking away towards a table in a corner.

Her words appeared to have worked, as the man stared unblinkingly at her retreating form, before washing his face and going inside an old-looking wooden door.

Daphne's eyes scanned to pub, wondering if anyone had notice the exchange. No one appeared to have moved, they were too engrossed in their conversations.

What made this people so different from the ones who went to Diagon alley?

Her internal musings were interrupted by the loud noise of a door opening and crashing loudly against the wall. A huge man came out, wearing a leather duster.

He had the most scars Daphne had ever seen in one person. Augustus was well built, around six feet tall, and carried himself with an attitude the screamed _'look at me funny and you'll die'_. However the feature that stood out more than any, was the four long claw marks across his face, they went from his left eye, through his nose, all the way to the right part of his neck.

_'That must have hurt'_ Daphne thought, she wasn't at all intimidated by the man. She was here for one purpose, and one purpose only, she wasn't going to let anyone get in her way, not even Augustus.

The man sat down on the chair across her's, he placed his feet on top of the table and just sat there, examining her.

Augustus was clearly amused by what appeared to be a teenager girl. How she had managed to get inside or even know of him was a mystery.

Daphne didn't care much for the man's intimidating techniques, so she started talking. "I need you to do something for me, Luci-"

Augustus suddenly burst out laughing, the noise was so loud, people who were sitting on the other side of the bar turned to stare as the man kept laughing for a full minute. "What makes you think, that I'll do _anything_ you ask me_ little girl? _If Lucius wants something from me, he can come and tell me himself...On second thought, I should call my guys so we can _all_ see whats underneath those pretty clothes of yours before I kill you for your insolence" spat Augustus as he looked at Daphne up and down, checking her out.

The not-so-subtle sexual innuendo was not lost on Daphne as she glanced at the grown man. Instead of feeling scared or sicken, she felt amused. Augustus had no idea who he was threatening. _'It's about time he knows who his talking to'_ Daphne thought.

In one swift movement she pulled up her left sleeve.

"That's a pity" she said in a fake sweet voice. "My boyfriend would be very upset if anything happened to me." Daphne commented.

She felt like laughing at the man's behavior. He was nothing. Daphne had faced worst, a lot worst than Augustus. The only reason his secret underground bar was still standing in one piece, and not being completely destroyed by Death Eaters was because Lucius had convinced her that it was one of the only places that still held some standards and did not allow _mudbloods_ inside.

Daphne couldn't contain her giggled when she noted the sudden change in the man's appearance. Augustus face had gone from pale to almost white in a second as he stared in shock at the mark covering the girls left forearm. His previous cockiness and confidence had all but disappeared, gone the second he laid eyes on her mark.

He finally looked up to Daphne after what seamed like hours, his whole body was shivering as he watched her. He was astonished at the sudden revelation of who she was. Augustus looked at his hands when he realized he was trembling, his knuckles had lost all color as if his blood had stopped flowing. Augustus was no ordinary man, he was somewhat of a veteran, he had gone through a lot in his prime, torture, rape and even death was something he saw daily in his line of work. Even with all of this, Augustus found himself feeling something he hadn't felt in years, maybe even decades; _fear_.

Daphne knew that the man didn't fear her exactly, more like the company she kept.

Her dark mark wasn't like any other, it wasn't a symbol of the Dark Lord, it was a symbol of someone equally feared in the deepest parts of Knockturn alley, his son.

Harry had made a reputation for himself in the darkest parts of the wizard world, annihilating anyone that had dared to cross his father.

The Dark Lord was one the most powerful wizards ever to exist, but there were always some rats who thought that they could _scam_ or even _deny_ him what he wanted. Voldemort sent Harry to end the lives of said men, and as a result it was not a surprise when the rumor of the Dark Lord's heir started to spread in the deepest and darkest parts of the wizard world.

Of course, no one would have dared to mention the rumor to anyone being with either the Ministry or Dumbledore, too scared of facing the wrath of You-Know-Who.

Augustus closed his eyes, taking deep breaths to calm his racing heart. He raised his right arm, which was covered in burns and scars, and at once a man ran to his side from across the room. The new guy was a dark haired wizard with brown eyes and a face Daphne didn't recognize. Augustus whispered something rapidly to the newcomer in a language she didn't understand.

'_German_' Daphne thought.

She noticed the newcomers eyes widen as he glanced at her, his eyes shifted to her left forearm which was already covered by her sleeve. After a few more seconds of Augustus whispering, the man quickly nodded and took off towards the bar.

She waited until the employee had finish running back to the bar, before speaking.

"What did you tell him?" Daphne questioned in a voice full of indifference.

Augustus remained silent for a minute before he answered.

"I've arranged for the pub to close while this meeting is ongoing. Everyone will be escorted out shortly" muttered Augustus, his expression full of caution.

True to the man's words, the dark haired employee went to every table but theirs, escorting everyone out. In less than four minutes the entire place was empty, everyone, including the people who worked with Augustus were gone.

'_The place looks even creepier without people_' Daphne thought, as she turned looking around, making sure they were truly alone. With every costumer gone, there was complete and total silence.

"So, what is it you need me to do?" asked Augustus, after he had gather the courage to speak. He slowly took his wand out and muttered a few charms to make sure they weren't heard.

Daphne's blue eyes turn to stare at the man. It was the first time she saw the effect Harry's reputation had on someone who wasn't a Death Eater.

"Six years ago-" started Daphne. "On the first of September a building was set on fire in a street called Summer's Walk. The house was abandoned, and had the number 570 before it was consumed by the flames. I want to know the name of the person who casted the spell that burned the building down." She finished.

Daphne knew that getting the information would be impossible for anyone who tried, lucky for her, Augustus was not _anyone_. The man had worked in far more difficult cases, and now that he had an idea of who she was...Augustus had a very good incentive to do whatever she said; keeping his life.

If Augustus was surprised by the 'request' he didn't show it. The man, now almost relaxed, held a look of concentration on his face. His left hand was touching his scars as he sighed. He had expected something much more complicated, even if the spell had been cast six years ago, the magical residue will still be there. Augustus had connections in the Ministry that could help him find the culprit.

"I believe I can find a name by the end of the week" Said the man in a soft, uncharacteristic voice.

"Perfect! Send an owl with the name to Malfoy manor" Daphne laughed, pushing her chair away from the table. She started walking towards the back door. She stopped mid-step and turned her head to look at the pub owner who was still sitting. "And Augustus-"

"Yes, ma'am?"

"If you do not keep your word, or you try to run, he'll know where to find you" Daphne finished, still smirking.

She apparated as soon as she closed the door behind her.

Daphne took a moment to stare at her new surroundings, the sun was still shining in the sky, its warmth greeting her as she got home. The entrance of Malfoy manor was truly beautiful, even after all this years she still took some time to marvel in its complexity.

Daphne had seen many mansions, but not _one_ even compared to Malfoy manor. It was enormous, about the size of three or four professional quidditch pitches, and it was surrounded by a rich green forest that spread all the way to the horizon. Two dark gates that held an elegant design of tree branches intermingling with each other, stood proudly at the entrance.

Only someone who Lucius, as the head of the Malfoy house had authorized, could enter unannounced to the property without alerting the wards.

Daphne opened the gates with a wave of her wand. She entered the house and started making her way upstairs. Draco should still be out, doing Merlin knows what, and Lucius was scheduled to attend a meeting concerning Hogwarts.

She walked the three flight of stairs to her quarters, Daphne couldn't deny that she had enjoyed her visit to the secret underground pub, more than she'd like to admit. It made her feel a warm feeling inside, to know she could have that much power over people.

'_I guess there's a reason they call me Ice Queen_' Daphne laughed .

Her room was pretty _cozy_. Lucius had charmed her quarters to adjust automatically to the occupant's preferred temperature, so it was never too cold or too hot.

She took off her robes, and then turned her head to look at her left forearm. A skull stared back at her, _two_ serpents protruding from its mouth. The snakes were wrapped around each other, giving the illusion of a tongue.

* * *

Harry stood proudly in his father's study. He was mostly annoyed, as his scar had been hurting the for the past hour. Harry had come to see what had Voldemort in such a bad mood.

He had found his father yelling and torturing a few low ranked Death Eaters.

Voldemort noticed Harry as soon as he stepped into the room. He could tell his strong emotions had hurt his heir.

After he had calmed down, and the Death Eaters had left, Harry still didn't know the reason for his father's anger.

Voldemort turned to look closely at Harry. He raised a hand to touch the scar on his forehead.

"I'm sorry, If I had known you were close I wouldn't have lost control of my emotions that way."

It was a rare sight, to see worry appear on the face of the most feared wizard alive.

His moved his gaze away from Harry, taking deep breaths to control his still present anger.

"Jason Riley has betrayed me...and he knows about my weakness" Voldemort spat. The rage in his red eyes would make anyone think twice before speaking, except for Harry.

"Riley? The one who worked with Regulus?" questioned Harry.

Voldemort sighed, running his fingers through his dark hair. "He found out about the Horcruxes, he must be stopped before the information gets out."

At the mention of Horcruxes Harry automatically touched the silver pendant adorning his neck, a reaction that was not lost on his father, who smiled at the sight of his heir bearing a part of his soul.

"What are your orders... father" Harry asked, while looking into Voldemort's eyes, dropping his occlumency shield so that his father could give him the information on were to find his new target.

Voldemort smirked, as he sat down on his chair. His eyes shining with malice.

"Finish him!"


	4. The Princess' World

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters, they belong to J.K. Rowling. This fic is based on 'The Darkness Within' by Kurinoone, Harry's background story as well as Damien belong to her.

**A/N:** Whoa, it's been a long time since I last updated. I won't make excuses, I've been lazy. Don't worry though, I've got most of the fic planed in my head. I'm currently stuck in Cleveland, having a really white Christmas (full of never-ending snow!). Anyway, back to the fic. I've been thinking about following the DW timeline, at least until Harry gets out of Hogwarts, what do you guys think? Also, I'm in desperate need of a Beta reader, so please PM me if you're interested. As always, enjoy and don't forget to review. P.S I'm learning the correct use of dashes to implement them in my writing, please bear with me. :)

* * *

_I say I wanna be healthy, but I turn up the noise_  
_The IV drips a steady stream of poison_  
_I think I'm just in love with the feeling_  
_Break my bones so I can feel them healing_

_"Crazy" is, I believe, the medical term_  
_When we wanna recover, but we don't wanna learn_  
_Keep breaking what's been fixed a thousand times_  
_And gimme some more of that iodine_

**_Iodine - Icon For Hire_**

* * *

"Are you just gonna stay there forever and wait for it to arrive?" Asked Draco. He had listen to his parents fight all day and had decided to head out to the three broomsticks, only to come back home and find Daphne lying on the couch near the unlit fireplace. He understood her anxiety, but that didn't mean he wished for her to become obsessed.

"Maybe, It's not like I have anything better to do. Harry is away on some assignment and school doesn't start for another month" replied Daphne. She brought her hands behind her head as she shifted her gaze from the ceiling to Draco.

He sighed, taking a sit on the elegant armchair next to the couch. His usual smirk was replaced by a serious face "We've got a problem Daph, father canceled his meeting today; he and mother were fighting all morning" finished Draco, looking down at the dark carpet. His face held an emotion that many people believed he had long lost; worry.

"Why are you so upset, you know they-

"Mother mentioned a divorce—I don't think they'll go through with it—but she said it would be better for the whole family if we took a vacation somewhere; at least until Hogwarts starts, just you, me and mother" Interrupted Draco.

Daphne's eyes widen, shocked by the suggestion. Lucius and Narcissa fought all the time, it was nothing new, but they made up after every fight to portray the image of the perfect pureblood family.

"Narcissa can't possibly expect me to leave with you, she knows I'll never do it" argued Daphne, annoyed at the though of leaving Lucius. The man had taken her when she was only ten, he had given her a home when she had lost everything. She didn't see him as a father figure, or love him for that matter, but the man had her respect. She owed him. A dept she knew she would never be able to repay.

"It's just for a few weeks at most Daph. I think, we should give it a try, let things cool down between them" said Draco, in a resign tone. It was clear that hearing his parents fight had taken a lot out of him, Daphne could see the hurt in his eyes. The usual cocky 'I am better the everyone else' attitude he had, was nowhere to be found.

She didn't speak for a whole minute, her gaze lingered on the unlit fireplace. "We'll see"

Draco snorted, having known her for years he should have expected her response on the matter. He thought it was time to change the subject, they will have to deal with things as they came along.

"How did yesterday go by the way, had any fun training with your boyfriend?"

Daphne smirked, it was always fun to mess with Draco. "Not enough, we will probably continue later. Why, do you wanna watch?"

"Urghh... I did not need that mental image of my best friend, or my little sister for that matter" commented Draco, making gagging noises in the process.

"_Little,_ I think you've got me confused with someone else Draco, I'm no one's little sister. You're more like... the annoying little brother I never wanted" finished Daphne smiling. "And anyway, what about you—had any fun with _your_ boyfriends? What were their names again... Crap and Soil?"

"Shut it, those bloody idiots are only good for scaring first years. Maybe I'll call Pansy later, see if she wants to have another _meeting_" He smiled suggestively, raising his blonde eyebrows.

Draco's face turned serious after a moment. He was gathering the courage to ask something he'd been meaning to ask for some time. His eyes dropped to the ground as he spoke, his voice completely changing from the previous teasing. Daphne somehow knew his question, before he voiced the thought out loud.

"What was it like?" the words were spoken softly, however she could still hear them from her spot on the couch.

She sighed, understanding immediately what Draco was talking about.

"Haven't you asked Harry already?" she said, her face remained expressionless. "It felt... satisfying, to see the life leave his eyes. It's hard to explain. I felt like I was finally starting to live; but a the same time—it felt like I had lost a part of myself, as if a part of me had died along with him. Don't get me wrong though, It's not a part I'll miss. I made my choice six years ago" The words were true, she had felt as if a little part of herself was lost while casting the unforgivable. However, they joy and satisfaction she had felt were out of this world, she had never felt anything quite like it.

She wasn't about to explain every detail to Draco though. Truthfully, Daphne was a little scared by her reaction. She was sure it wasn't considered normal to feel such ecstasy and delight while taking a life, even if it was justified. That's why she had chosen to put it in the back of her mind, at least for the time being.

Draco got up without a word and made his way over to the door, the sound of his shoes resounding through the room.

"It's been 6 years Daph, It wouldn't kill you to light up the fireplace" He said mid-step, without looking back at her.

Daphne didn't reply to his comment, choosing to remain silent instead. The idea of going away with Narcissa for some time was still in her mind. She still rejected the idea, but if even Draco thought it was a good thing, she would give it a shot. She wondered how bad things could be between Draco's parents for Narcissa to suggest some time off; clearly things were worst than anytime before.

It hadn't always been like that, she remembered a time when Lucius and Narcissa didn't fight. It felt like a lifetime ago, when the perfect family they liked to portray was actually true. However, things had changed some years ago, Lucius had began involving himself more in both his work for the Dark Lord and his status as head of the family. As a result, Narcissa now held a grudge towards her husband.

Daphne had never been involved in their fights, choosing to stay in the shadows instead; like a true Slytherin some would say. Knowledge was power, and knowing the truth about her adoptive family gave her an edge. Whether she would need that edge or not, was another matter altogether.

She felt sad for Draco, the annoying kid Daphne remembered had now grown up. She couldn't remember when exactly she had started having feelings of friendship and even sibling-like rivalry towards the boy who had complained about her constantly for years, only because he was 'losing' the attention of his parents.

That extremely obnoxious brat she had loved to tease had become almost like her brother. His personality had changed so much in recent years—yet there was still times where she wanted nothing more than to kill him in the most painful ways. Like two weeks ago, when she had come home exhausted after a whole day of training, only to find Draco and Pansy Parkinson of all people sucking face in _her_ bedroom.

Needless to say, Daphne was going to make this year hell for Parkinson after that stunt.

But back to the problem at hand. She was bored and wanted to do something, anything. But her position on the couch was way too comfortable to move.

In the end, boredom beat laziness and she got up. The thought of finishing her defense against the dark arts essay crossed her mind, before she deciding against it. Snape could wait; besides, Harry was doing some last minute assignment, so she might as well do some training of her own. It had been so long since her last sparing session with Bella, Daphne was sure she could beat her this time.

She closed her eyes, running a hand through her silky blonde hair. A smile adorning her face at the thought of finally beating Bellatrix.

You-know-who's only female death eater had taken a liking to Daphne after she had realized her potential. She had spent a lot of time with her since then, the devoted follower of the Dark Lord had been a constant maternal figure in Daphne's and Harry's early teenage years. So much, that some traits of her personality had passed on to both.

Bella had been teaching her fighting techniques as well as dark curses since she was twelve, it had all started when she had gotten in a fight with Draco. A fight which led to the Malfoy heir having a sprained ankle as well as a broken nose. Bellatrix had laughed at the scene, only helping Draco once he had stopped crying. The very next day she had gone to the Dark Lord, to ask for permission to train her. It was only because of her training that Daphne could now keep up with Harry—sometimes.

"Wooky!" Daphne called, her smile turning into a smirk.

A loud _'pop'_ was heard and in that instant a small creature appeared near the now vacant couch. It's pointy ears were turned upwards, a sign of a young house-elf. The creature kept her eyes on the ground as it spoke in a high pitched voice.

"Mistress called Wooky?"

"Yes, please inform Mr. Malfoy that I have stepped out" responded Daphne, not even sparring a glance to the tiny creature. She reached for the green hair-pin on her hair before saying the words that would activate the magic in the hair-pin.

"Serpent's Nest!"

Everything went black.

She felt the familiar sickness as her body was whirled around at a very high speed before finally arriving at the destination. It took decades to get completely used to the feeling of traveling by portkey. It was her least favorite form of transportation. She felt a stomach-ache every time she did it, which was saying a lot since the only times she didn't use the portkey was when Harry apparated her inside.

She looked up after a few seconds. The sight of Riddle Manor greeted her. She had landed on Harry's private training grounds as it was not possible for anyone but Voldemort or Harry to portkey or apparate inside the main manor.

She removed the dust of her robes and brought her hood up before walking through the small road towards the gates. As soon as she was within visual distance, the two death eater guards pushed the gates open, giving her a small bow in recognition.

How they knew it was her was still a mystery to Daphne.

The first time she had been to Riddle Manor Bella had used the Cruciatus curse on one of them for not letting her inside. The memory was still vivid in Daphne's mind. That was the first time she had seen one of the unforgivables used in a person.

The inside of You-Know-Who's manor was not as scary as many would believe. It was actually quite nice if you overlooked the lack of lighting in several rooms.

As soon as the doors close behind her Daphne made her way towards a large portrait of a serpent. The huge snake inside the painting hissed before it swung open. There was only a limited number of people that had ever been to this part of the castle, as it was Harry's.

Her eyes quickly adjusted to the new light.

Daphne strode through the new corridor before freezing mid-step. A horrible chill went down her spine when she noticed the new presence. Her eyes went wide as the temperature in the room dropped considerably.

"Miss Greengrass, It has been a long time since we last saw each other"

_'Where the bloody hell did he come from?! he wasn't there a second ago!'_ Daphne thought.

She quickly turned around before bowing.

"My Lord" She said, in a flat, emotionless voice.

It was a survival skill, to hide one's feelings. A skill most, if not all pureblood children developed at some point in their lives.

Daphne was nothing but loyal to Harry's father. Even so, it would be a lie to say she wasn't affected by his scary entrances. She knew the man held no anger towards her. A fact she could understand to some extent, giving her romantic relationship with his son. Still, if Voldemort thought she was a distraction to his heir he would have killed her long ago.

Why the Dark Lord considered Draco more of a distraction to Harry than her was a mystery.

Voldemort stood tall, his eyes narrowed regarding the blonde haired girl in silence. Nagini hissed as she slithered at her master's feet.

"You've proven to be more useful that I could have ever hoped for" He admitted.

She didn't need to look up to know that the Dark Lord was smirking. The meaning behind his words was unclear to her. She was sure that by the tone of his voice he wasn't talking about Sturgis. In any case, she would be suicidal to question him.

"It won't be long before I send you out in assignments with my son. I trust that you'll be ready" He whispered the last part, before turning around; walking through the corridor at a calm pace.

Daphne let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. She finally looked up to find an empty hall.

_'Draco was right, facing the Dark Lord was a million times harder without Harry'_ was the only thought that crossed her mind.

She shook her head to regain control of her emotions.

Deciding to head towards Harry's room, she made her way over to the end of the corridor. At least she could wait for him there, since she hadn't come across Bella.

There was complete silence as she entered the familiar room. It was broken by the small _'whoosh'_ sound the air made when she threw herself onto the bed.

The cold feeling she had endured while being in the presence of Harry's father had finally subsided.

Why had the Dark Lord decided to talk to her? His appearance had been so sudden and so short, that when he was gone she almost felt inclined to think she had imagined the whole thing. However, the brief memory of his red eyes analyzing her was too vivid for it to not be real.

Voldemort's words lingered in her mind.

_'You've proven to be more useful that I could have ever hoped for'_

What did that mean? Was he talking about killing Sturgis?

She was so caught up in her internal musings that she nearly missed the sight of a very familiar booklet sitting in Harry's nightstand.

It was a list. It contained the names of the known members of the Order, as well as some other important figures connected to the current Ministry of Magic.

The name_ Lily Potter_ stared back at her as she picked up the charmed booklet. Some names_—_like Harry biological mother_—_were written in bright silver ink. Others, such as Edgar Bones and Fabian Prewett seemed to be slowly fading away, the brightness of the silver tone gone; replace by a faint red.

Red meant dead.

Before she could turn the page Daphne's head suddenly snapped to the side, frantic footsteps could be heard. She bolted up to her feet and dropped the list on the bed.

A few moments later a figure broke into the room, running at full speed.

Daphne threw an angry glare at the newcomer, before she realized who it was.

"Bella? Bella whats wrong?"

Bellatrix eyes moved towards her at an impossibly fast speed. "D-Daphne?..." she muttered, still out of breath. She had appeared to be looking for something before realizing she wasn't alone in the room.

Bellatrix took one step towards her before finally speaking.

"It's Harry, he's hurt"


End file.
